Target identification of usnic acid in bacterial and human cells

Abstract

Usnic acid is a natural product with versatile biological activities against various organisms. Here, we utilise a chemical proteomic strategy to gain insights into its target scope in bacterial and human cells. First, we excluded DNA binding as a major reason for its antibacterial activity, and second, we commenced with target profiling, which unravelled several metal cofactor-dependent enzymes in both species indicating a polypharmacological mode of action. Interestingly, our synthetic studies revealed a selectivity switch at usnic acid, which maintains antibacterial activity but lacks strong cytotoxic effects.